Thursday, September 4, 2008

My Pre-K Guy

I don’t know who was more excited — I think it was me. Angelo’s first day which was an almost hour-long introduction to his new world was a learning experience for both mother and son. I tried my best to step back and not play the stage mom, even when I felt like encouraging him and making him feel more at home. I have come to realize that sometimes, my presence actually doesn’t help to coax him out of his shell, but instead makes him hold back. I wanted to disappear so he wouldn’t be self-conscious, but this first day was precious. I couldn’t help myself. The other moms took a seat as the teacher gave the three kids a tour of the classroom. I remained standing so I could see him as he roamed each corner.

There were only three students. They had divided the entire class into 6 subgroups so the teacher and her assistant could focus on each one and do a hands-on one-on-one with each child. He colored a teddy bear and they were introduced to the shape and color that will be their ID code for the rest of the year. The good thing is that he can recognize his name visually. He knows the letters that form it, and if he sees it, he knows it’s his name.

He’s learning to color but needs a lot of practice. Just my luck that we were grouped with two girls who obviously had coloring a teddy bear down pat, but my boy tried.

We hit a bit of a snag when I realized they had labeled everything “Salvador” (which is his first name, like his Dad’s), and I had labeled everything we brought on the supply list as “Angelo”. My concern was a confusion as to his things, but the teacher said they wouldn’t want to refer to him as Salvador if he is called Angelo at home. It actually wouldn’t have been a problem because he responds to the same name, and he knows he is Salvador Angelo. In the end, the teacher replaced all the tags with “Salvador” with “Angelo”. So “Angelo” it will be.

I was so proud of him when he sat with his legs crossed in the story telling corner (like a pretzel as the teacher told the other two girls), borne out of training he had at pre-school. He was well mannered and quiet but I know he will eventually crawl out of his shell. We got a getting-to-know-you sheet from the teacher, and a school lunch registration form. (No, we are far from qualified for the reduced lunch, but we were told each child has to be registered with the state.)

Here I am starting my journey with him on his foray into the bigger world. I made Alan read all the circulars and letters, and I taught him about the homework folder I slid into the backpack I needed Angelo to bring Thursday. One of our new routines from now on.

Posted by Angelo's Mom at 15:49:58 | Permalink | Comments (1) »

Monday, September 1, 2008

On His Way

Frame from Miss Mint of Peppermint Creative’s free kit
Wild Weekend

Angelo starts Pre-K this week and I find myself just sitting back in awe as I watch him hit another milestone.  There are times when he siddles up to me and I literally get a good grasp of how much he has grown.  The doctor said he is now 42 1/2 inches tall, 47 lbs heavy.  (And the Michael Phelps fan in his Mom made me measure his “wingspan” — 43 inches.  Just half an inch longer than his actual height.) 

Yesterday as we walked in the early afternoon sun browsing stores by Old Sound Road, he just blurted “Mama, why do we have shadows?”  He’s started asking those types of questions which make Alan and I smile.  I try to keep my answers simple.  I want him to learn and know he can keep asking his questions, and Mama and Papa will answer

His grandma asks if he has already learned to write his name.  Not quite yet.  I was in a panic a couple of months back, vowing he will learn to write his name before he started Pre-K, but I had a Mom-moment and stepped back when I read that pressure is the last thing my four-year-old needs.  Besides, some of his peers who will be joining him in Pre-K will be going to school for the first time.  They will teach him how to write there.  Then my role is to support that and make sure he follows through.

So I went by what I learned researching online and started him developing his grasp of pencils and crayons.  Now he colors better and can actually hold the crayons, so I think he’s on his way.

We went to the supermarket last Saturday and bought the supplies requested by his teacher.  Funny how the only real school supplies item there were the two stubby pencils and some glue sticks.  The rest were basically pantry supplies.  We got them all and I’ll be labeling them as requested in the letter we received from his teacher weeks back.

An aunt had said we shouldn’t give all the supplies because the teacher was just using it as her own shopping list — but I don’t really care.  This lady will be taking care of my precious one, she will get what she needs to do that.  In fact I intend to donate some of the supplies requested in the same “shopping list” for supplies that the class needs.

His first two days in class on Wednesday and Thursday will be half an hour only.  Just sort of an introduction to his “new world”.  On Friday, it’ll be an hour-long class.  The first full week will be two hours, then he will start his regular 8:30-2:30 class.

The first year in preschool has him more than ready to start school.  He’s used to having his teacher(s) around, and he has a grasp of the concept of homework as well.  I’m not worried about him adjusting to school.  In fact I think it would be perfectly fine for him to just go full-day from day 1, but it’s a new set of future friends, a bigger building, and more independence.  So I welcome the slow introduction of this new world to him.

So yes, I’ll be there on his first day, I’ll sit through his half hour, then bring him home.  We’re both going through this the first time, and I’m having my own butterflies in the stomach to deal with.  My boy is growing up.. I’m there right behind him.

Posted by Angelo's Mom at 16:49:01 | Permalink | Comments (1) »

Wednesday, July 2, 2008

Our journey begins

Last Friday, I received my first official mail packet from Mrs. C, Angelo’s incoming homeroom teacher in Pre-K.  It was a special day for me because it meant we were on the school’s mailing list now and my son is part of this academic community.

It meant that we were now into the more serious business of preparing him for the real world — although it will be a step at a time, and tiny steps at that.  I felt proud.  And I must admit, I was very excited.  I immediately started putting the letters in a binder.  My little boy is going to pre-k!

Posted by Angelo's Mom at 20:24:01 | Permalink | No Comments »

Tuesday, June 10, 2008

Moving on

My 4-year-old is currently in private preschool. We started him off in July of last year and he was put in a “prepper” class, and was promoted to “preschool” in less than 2 months after having been toilet-trained. Alan and I have been very satisfied with hwe his development has progressed despite the cost as he now speaks very fluently, he has started to be more socially adept, and he has become more creatively inclined.

He was recently accepted for Pre-k admission in the public school closest to us and we brought him with us today as we acknowledged acceptance of admission.

He showed some reluctance at the sight of how big the school was. He kept saying he wanted to go to his pre-school class — and yet we could see that part of him wanted to explore the long corridor.

I can only imagine how he is afraid of moving on, and how comfortable and secure he feels in the smaller classroom he’s in right now. But at least he has time to adjust to this bigger world of pre-k. I can’t believe he’s grown up so much.

In the meantime, I’m here to savor guiding him through each day. I know it won’t be long before he let’s go of Mommy’s hand and insists on going at it alone. So here I am clinging to him tightly — not quite ready to let go myself.

Posted by Angelo's Mom at 22:12:11 | Permalink | Comments (1) »